Fragmented
by Shaded Truths
Summary: What do you do when someone you care about has a problem. Yusuke has just come back from demon world and he may find that not all of his relationships have withstood the test of time. An incident leads Yusuke to a confrontation that is years in the making, (parallel sequel to Fractured) I recommend that be read first because this fic does reference it.


**I have returned!**

 **Sorry guys I know I have been gone for like three years. I will not bore you with the details but I do wanna thank any supporters of my stories that were holding out hope.**

 **This fic was an idea that came to me after I finished fractured. I tried to tackle a huge issue and I hope I did it justice, Anyone that has not read fractured should read it first as there are references in this story to that one.**

* * *

Fragmented

"Good night." Keiko bid sweetly to her boyfriend as they arrived at her home, the light left on by her parents, knowing where she was.

Yusuke grinned at her and then his face softened as she stepped up to press her lips on the corner of his.

Keiko felt herself warm as he tilted his face and properly fit their lips together.

' _It never changes_ ,' she thought as they came apart. _'it still feels new…perfect._ '

"See you later." Yusuke said softly as he turned and started the short trek to his apartment he shared with his mother. He took one last glance behind and gave Keiko a short wave. Maybe the goodbye was a little extended but after the night they had, no one can blame him for making sure that she knows how he feels.

Earlier that day he was surprised when Kuwabara came into his ramen stand at the end of his shift, demanding he close early and come with him to Genkai's temple. It wasn't hard to convince Yusuke as he had no customers and was on the verge of suffering from severe boredom.

He also didn't expect Hiei and Kurama to be there and for Hiei to start attacking him. As fun is it is for him to spar with Hiei, he knew that there was an ulterior motive. Contrary to what they think of him, Yusuke was not the same block of clay he was when he started his time as spirit detective.

He should have known that it was foolish of him to be optimistic enough to believe that his friends had not noticed his inner struggle. He was at a loss as to what to do when Keiko had started treating him like he wasn't there. The last month had been eating at his spirit. The weight of uncertainty on his chest growing and growing with each passing day.

' _I guess I should thank them,_ ' he mused with a smile as he stopped at a cross walk, the light not yet signaling that he can proceed. ' _Even Kuwabara's sis. Although I can't believe she got her hands dirty with it_.'

The signal came on and he started walking across the street. Now that he was by himself he let the smile grow on his face until it split his lips and forced a relieved laugh from him. The weight on his chest had been eased significantly after he and Keiko had talked in the park. She has always been tough to him but when she punched him it had come as a shock. She insisted it was fine as they walked to a theatre. Keiko had tried offering to walk to his apartment with him so he could change out of the dirty clothes he was still wearing during his spar with Hiei.

She did not notice the slight twitch of his eye as he steered her away from the topic. He let her drag him to see a sappy romantic movie, and if they spent most of the movie stealing looks and touches of the hands, then, well Yusuke wouldn't be ashamed to say anything.

Yusuke looked up as he approached the building that he lived. His smile turned into a line and his eyes lost some sheen as he let a tired sigh escape. His face remained neutral as he made his way up the stairwell to the second floor.

The landing was bare as usual as he walked along the path, past other apartments, including the old man next door that constantly would complain about the noise his mother made, among other things.

He approached the door to his apartment, keys already in hand.

' _it's quiet_ ,' he thought, face unchanging as he slid the key into the lock. ' _she must not be home_.'

The key was in but he had not turned the lock. Yusuke touched his forehead to the door and just stood. He couldn't tell you how much time had slipped by,

The last 2 months had been very difficult. As loathe as he was to let them see it, he knew that all his friends had seen everything that was happening between him and Keiko. They all knew each other too well, had been through too much together. They were connected now, more so than Yusuke would have ever thought he could have even five years ago. He was the bully, the thug, the bad influence. Flunking his classes, picking fights, although most were fights that were picked by other assholes.

The last four years were the change. He didn't ask for it, didn't want it, but he got it, and it was real.

'Where would I be now without them?' Yusuke pondered as he stood up straight. 'Look at me, what's with all this mushy crap.'

Yusuke shook his head, as if snapping himself out of a trance and reached for the key again. This time there was no pause as he turned the key in the lock and heard the click of the door being unlocked.

"Even so, no matter how much they care," Yusuke said to himself as he turned the knob, his friends' faces flashing in his mind. First Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara; then Botan, Yukina and Shizuru; then Genkai; and finally, Keiko. ' _She is something they can't help me with_.'

* * *

 _Two Months Earlier_

* * *

It was all smiles the day that Yusuke returned from the demon world. After Yusuke and Keiko's reunion they had gone to Genkai's. After the small formality of Genkai kicking Yusuke through the wall, the group enjoyed each other's company. Hours flew by before the group separated and headed to their respective homes, or in botan's case, world.

Keiko and Yusuke went together and it just so happened that Yusuke's place was closer.

"Have you seen your mom yet, Yusuke?" Keiko asked him as they approached the apartment building. The sun had long since gone down so there were few people about. Looking at the building they could see sparse lighting signaling that most of the residence were either out or had gone to bed for the night.

Yusuke glanced in the vicinity near where he knew his mother's apartment was before looking next to him at Keiko and shrugged.

"She wasn't home," he told her bluntly. "Ma must've been out working or boozing it up somewhere."

Yusuke's face scrunched up as if some foul scent was picked up, no doubt thinking about the smell of alcohol. Keiko rolled her eyes at him before turning to face him.

"Kuwabara and I checked on her a couple times," Keiko informed him. "She lost her job a little while after you left, but she got hired at this club across town.

At Yusuke's look she plowed on.

"I guess she likes it there because they tip her well and the owner doesn't care if she beats up the ones that like to harass her or the other girls that work there." Keiko explained, cutting Yusuke off when he was about to comment again. "She also goes to horseraces every other weekend."

Finished with her recap, Yusuke finally spoke freely.

"Doesn't surprise me that she works in a bar," Yusuke muttered. "Damn alcoholic. She gambles now too?"

Keiko rolled her eyes again.

"Actually; she does really well," she told him. "I don't think she's lost yet."

Yusuke nodded and looked a little more at ease. Keiko kept looking at him and when he didn't comment she huffed.

"You don't have to pretend Yusuke," Keiko drawled. "Go and give Atsuko a big hug and tell her how much you missed her okay."

With a laugh and playful swat to his arm, Keiko strolled away and left a grumbling Yusuke to his imminent reunion.

"She'll pay for that," Yusuke promised himself as he started toward the building.

* * *

It didn't take long before Yusuke was standing in front of the door. He dug into his pants for the key that he kept on him. Like he had hundreds of times before, he undid the lock and mad e his way into his home.

"Mom, I'm home," Yusuke announced as he kicked his shoes off.

The first thing he noted was the incredibly strong smell of the alcohol he had just been imagining a moment ago. Sure enough, there were bottles and cans littered along the floor. Yusuke looked over at the couch where he saw his mother. Atsuko hadn't seemed to age since he saw her last three years ago. He resisted a huff at the beer can dangling from her hand as she stared at her son. Her eyes were wide her mouth opened slightly.

"Yusuke," she said in a breath.

Her beer can slipped from her grasp as she stood from the couch. Yusuke just stared as she stepped closer. Once she was within reaching distance, Yusuke noticed that her eyes had become shiny with what looked to be unshed tears. Unable to handle it, Yusuke put a hand to the back of his head and looked away.

"Hey, Mom," Yusuke said softly.

Before he could think, Atsuko had thrown her arms around him and pressed his head into her chest. She held him there for a few seconds before she threw him away.

Caught off guard, Yusuke stumbled and his back hit the door.

"What the hell, Mo-" Yusuke started before he had to duck as Atsuko's foot was planted where his head had been. "Mom!"

"Where the hell have you been," Atsuko said as she brought her foot down from the door. "Do you know how worried I'd been?"

Yusuke dodged back to avoid the second kick but let her get a hit in when she gave him a right hook into his cheek.

"Mom, I told you what I was doing," Yusuke said as his mother finally stopped, satisfied with getting her hit in. "I already got it from Genkai and-"

"Good!" Atsuko interrupted as she breathed. "I hope she beat your ass!"

The next moment was silence as Atsuko caught her breath. Yusuke straightened himself when it looked like she was done attacking him. They just stood in silence. The only noise being the sound of the TV in the background and the occasional vehicle on the street outside.

"Horseracing, Mom?" Yusuke asked, breaking the silence.

Atsuko just stared at him before grinning.

"Your mom has a way with the tickets," She replied.

"More like a way with the bookies," Yusuke muttered, not caring if she heard him.

Atsuko twitched before landing a punch on the top of his head. She then went back to the couch, picked up her discarded can and made her way to her bedroom.

"Your room is the same as it was," Atsuko announced as opened the door. "Keiko cleaned it up for you after you left."

Yusuke just stared at her as she turned to look at him.

"You better be ready Yusuke," Atsuko told him, adopting that stern look she would give him after he came back from the dead. "Just because you go around kicking demon ass doesn't mean you get to freeload. You need to get a job."

The slam of the door followed that comment and left Yusuke just staring. He rolled his eyes before heading into his bedroom.

"Business as usual," he said eyeing the detritus in the room one last time before closing himself in his room.

* * *

What Atsuko didn't know is that Keiko's father already wanted Yusuke's help in running a ramen stand that he had started as an expansion to his restaurant. As much as Yusuke didn't see himself as a working man, he admitted to himself that working around food all day wasn't exactly the worse thing he could be doing. That and Mr. Yukimura always treated him well.

A month after he returned he closed up the shop and headed home. Within a week he was forced by Keiko to help clean up the apartment. Not that he was really complaining, the constant smell of alcohol and tripping over bottles got pretty old quickly. It didn't help much but the thought was good. The following weeks just showed that as quick as It would be cleaned up, the smell and bottles would return, as well as the occasional witnessing of his mother taking trips to the bathroom to lose her lunch. As the day of Shiori's anniversary approached, Kurama had let all of them know, weeks ago that his mother basically demanded that he brought his friends.

This time when he walked into his home he twitched at the smell of alcohol. This time however it was stronger.

The sounds of retching led him to the bathroom where he saw his mother bending over the toilet. He stood there as she gave one final heave before slumping over the toilet.

"Overdid it again, Ma." Yusuke stated more than asked as he stepped closer.

Atsuko made no response as she slowly slid onto her side. Yusuke leaned over to see her with her eyes closed. There was also a trail of bile running out of the corner of her mouth.

"Mom, clean yourself up," Yusuke said as he knelt beside her.

Atsuko remained where she was, as if she had not heard him. Yusuke grabbed her arm and shook her.

"Damn it, Mom!" Yusuke shouted, still to no response. "Wake the hell up!"

That seemed to do it as she jerked and opened her eyes. Slowly Atusko sat up and wipe her sleeve along her mouth.

"Gross," she complained as she cringed, the taste of bile still in her mouth.

"You drank too much again, stupid!" Yusuke shouted, standing and glaring down at his mother. "That shit is going to kill you if you don't watch it."

Atsuko just stood up, not hearing what her son had to say as she stumbled over to the sink and grabbed her toothbrush.

"Did you bring home dinner, Yusuke?" she asked as she started to brush her teeth.

Yusuke just clenched his fists and stormed out of the bathroom, heading to the front door.

"Yusuke, where are you going?" Atsuko called from the bathroom.

"Out," he bit back, opening the door.

"Stay out of trouble." She slurred in reply as he slammed the door. "Stupid."

Atsuko then turned back into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. Her shirt was wrinkled, the collar pulled from her neck. Her hair was disheveled, as if she had just walked through a wind storm. A remnant of saliva still dried on chin. She stopped brushing as she looked herself in the eyes, glassed over and dull.

Immediately she finished her business and tore away from the mirror.

"What a mess," she easily commented as she stretched her arms above her head.

* * *

"Bitch!" Yusuke shouted as he kicked a street sign, causing it to bend at where his foot impacted, much to the shock of the couple strolling from the opposite direction. "Does she even care about what she's doing."

Not wanting to go back, he just kept walking. He didn't need to deal with his mother's bullshit. It was bad enough that Keiko seemed to be avoiding him. Deep down he thinks he knows why but can't do anything unless she was willing to talk.

Atsuko had been bad with the booze his whole life. He thought that when he had died that she would have been better, and for a while she was. But after the Dark Tournament he would come home to his mother passed out on the couch. Even before he had died he had never seen her unresponsive like she had been just a minute ago.

Yusuke didn't know how long he had been walking, nor really where he had been going. He didn't really care either. It just so happened that he was seen.

"Yusuke!" came a shout from across the street.

Yusuke looked to where the voice had come and couldn't help the surprise at seeing Kurama and Kuwabara, waving at him from the front of a convenience store.

"Urameshi!" Kuwabara called as he and Kurama walked across the street toward him.

Yusuke ducked a punch from Kuwabara before looking at Kurama.

"What are you guys doing out here?" Yusuke asked. "Kurama don't you have a party to get ready?"

Kurama gave Yusuke a smile and shook his head.

"Hardly a party, Yusuke," he replied. "Mother needed some extra supplies and I came here for them. Kuwabara had aleady been here."

Yusuke snickered at Kuwabara and gave him a shit eating grin.

"Big sis got you being her laborer?" Yusuke prodded.

Kuwabara's ears turned red as he glared at him.

"Shut up you punk!" the pompadour wearing student shouted, getting in Yusuke's snickering face. "For your information, I needed cat food!"

"Does your cat smoke too?" Yusuke countered, eyeing the box of cigarettes visible in the bag he was carrying.

With nothing else to say Kuwabara swung at him again while Kurama just smiled in amusement.

Throughout the whole encounter, Yusuke's tenseness had gradually eased off, but not before Kurama noticed it when they first met up.

"Is everything okay, Yusuke?" Kurama asked him.

Yusuke blinked and looked at him in confusion.

"Yeah," he replied slowly. "Why?"

Kurama just shook his head and shrugged, Yusuke narrowed his eyes at him and Kuwabara just scratched his head.

"It's nothing," Kurama placated him, not that Yusuke believed him. "However, mother did tell me to invite your mother tomorrow. She's very persistent on knowing the people in my life it seems."

Yusuke, at the thought of his mother, rolled his eyes at the former bandit before scoffing.

"She would appreciate it, but she will probably be passed out as usual," Yusuke groused in a bitter tone, surprising both of his friends with the hostility.

"There's no need to be such a jerk about it," Kuwabara scolded him. "Your mom has always been nice to me, even if she has had a beer."

Yusuke just glared at Kuwabara for standing up to his mother as Kurama looked contemplative.

"Either way, Yusuke, we do look forward to seeing you tomorrow, mother really has a soft spot for you," Kurama told him.

Yusuke couldn't help the light dusting of color on his cheeks as Kuwabara cringed at Kurama.

"I don't know what a nice, sweet lady like your mom likes about someone like him," Kuwabara commented, earning a glare from his best friend. "Then again somehow, Keiko likes him and shes the smartest girl I know."

That last comment earned more than a glare from Yusuke.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Kurama," Yusuke told him as he left him with Kuwabara, who now lay on the ground, a large bump, smoldering on the top of his head.

* * *

The next evening found the gang all gathered at Kurama's house, minus Shizuru and Genkai. Yusuke stood alone in the living room, having just been given the cold shoulder by his Keiko when Kurama came back into the room.

"Mother is worried about you," Kurama told him, startling Yusuke out of his stupor.

"Oh, sorry," Yusuke said, not really understanding what's been happening.

Kurama looked at him with sympathy.

"Are you going to be alright?" he asked.

Yusuke just looked at him, before sighing and turning to lead Kurama into the dining room.

"I hope so," he offered, before they joined the others.

* * *

Dinner was excellent if you ask the attendees. Despite the incident between Yusuke and Keiko earlier, Shiori's brightness seemed to turn the evening around as she continually asked her son's friends about him and in turn, sharing stories from his youth that had Kuwabara and Yusuke snickering and Kurama silent, with the occasional look toward the louder of the group. Once even at Hiei who, while wasn't laughing, was enjoying watching him squirm.

After the party, Yusuke found himself in the living room. Kurama and Kuwabara seated across from him and Hiei leaning on a windowsill

"Man, Kurama, your mom sure can cook!" Kuwabara exclaimed as he patted his engorged stomach.

"Yes, well if there is one thing mother is proud of it is her skills in the kitchen," Kurama replied.

Yusuke had been silent throughout any of the conversation so far since they met up in the living room.

After Kuwabara was done bleating about the food, he turned his attention to a new topic.

"Urameshi, what did you do to get Keiko so mad at ya?" he intruded, much to Kurama's chagrin and Hiei's annoyance.

"Must we go over this again," Hiei droned from his seat. "All the detective needs to do is-"

"Hiei, don't you even think of finishing that sentence." Kurama interrupted with a dark look in Hiei's direction.

Kuwabara felt a chill go down his spine at the look while Yusuke just ignored him. Hiei's vulgar comment aside, Keiko was not the only one on his mind.

"Why the hell are women so nuts?" Yusuke asked himself more than the others.

Kuwabara just shrugged while Kurama got that contemplative look on his face.

"I don't know Urameshi," Kuwabara replied before adopting a dreamy expression. "I'm just glad my sweet Yukina is such an amazing girl. She never complains about anything and she's just so sweet!"

Yusuke couldn't help but grin along with Kurama as Hiei glared daggers at the former delinquent. Kuwabara noticed the looks though and went from dreamy to angry.

"You guys are always laughing at me when I bring up my beautiful lady love!" Kuwabara shrieked, causing Yusuke to start cackling. "What's so gosh darn funny!"

Kurama chuckled behind his hand before putting a hand on Kuwabara's shoulder.

"It's just good to see you in such good spirits Kuwabara." Kurama placated.

Kuwabara turned his glare to Kurama.

"Now you guys are just making fun of me," he said before standing up. "Fine then, I'm heading home."

Yusuke stopped laughing long enough to call out to Kuwabara before he was out the door. Kuwabara just waved behind him before heading out into the street.

"He'll be alright," Yusuke concluded before turning back to his other friends.

Kurama used the opportunity of Kuwabara's exit to ask another question.

"How are things with your mother, Yusuke?"

Yusuke frowned before glancing to the wall and letting out a frustrated sigh.

"I knew you picked up on something," he told him. "Was I that obvious?"

Kurama gave him a gentle smile before replying.

"Not until you sounded a little bitter yesterday," he explained. "I assume she has done something to upset you. Would you like to talk about it?"

At this point of the conversation Hiei rolled his eyes and turned to stare out the window.

"If it's not your woman, it's your mother," Hiei said, closing his eyes. "Kurama doesn't have this much drama in his life, even if he did foolishly choose to remain with the humans."

This time both of them ignored Hiei as Yusuke pondered his situation.

"Kurama, how do you deal with keeping your mom in the dark?" Yusuke asked him.

Although surprised at the question, the plant user had no problem answering the inquiry.

"I won't lie to you and say it's easy," the fox started. "Every day I worry that that day is going to be the day that she figures it out. She is such a good woman and deserves the best in life. I'd give up anything for her."

Yusuke nodded, already understanding Kurama's devotion as evidenced by his actions on the hospital roof years ago.

"She's also very bright," Kurama continued eyes softening. "It has gotten harder over the years to tell her a convincing story regarding my absences or the injuries she might see by mistake."

Kurama looked up at Yusuke again.

"Does it have to do with your mother knowing about your duties as the Spirit Detective?" Kurama asked of him.

Yusuke shook his head.

"I don't think she ever worried about me with Koenma's gig," Yusuke replied as he crossed his arms. "She wasn't happy that I had left for demon world but then nobody was happy with me then."

As he finished that statement he imagined Keiko's jaded look and Kuwabara's devastation when he was ready to leave. Yusuke's face hardened as he turned back to the topic of mothers.

"My mom is an alcoholic," Yusuke stated without hesitation.

Kurama stared, already aware somewhat of Atsuko's vices

"Shes always been like this," Yusuke continued. "She stopped for a bit after I died the first time, but…"

Yusuke trailed off as Kurama stayed silent. Yusuke looked at him, expecting him to say something, but received no response.

"She was bent over the toilet yesterday," Yusuke finally elaborated. "She passed out after puking her guts out. I had to scream at her to wake her up."

Kurama just nodded

' _Alcohol poisoning'_ he surmised.

"Her drinking never really mattered to me before, but seeing her like that…" He stated

Yusuke stood up, not being able to sit still any longer.

"Do you need someone to help you?" Kurama asked him.

Yusuke was quick to shake his head at him as he paced the room.

"No," he stated anyway. "She won't stop until something happens to her."

Yusuke scratched his head aggressively as he continued.

"If I try to push her about it…" he started.

Kurama just waited for the rest of the sentence, but then Yusuke shook his head.

"There isn't anything to be done," he finally conceded, not wanting to dwell on it.

Hiei looked over at Yusuke with something akin to annoyance.

"It's not like you to accept things as they are, detective." The fire demon told him.

Yusuke looked over at Hiei, ready to snap at the demon, but then quickly lost the urge. Hiei, as much as he had grown, would never fully grasp anything he deemed a human problem. So he just shook his head, much to Hiei's ire, and ignored the comment.

"Sorry Hiei." He said, giving him a grin. "I know you don't like to listen to our human problems."

"Hn," Hiei grunted as he turned away again.

Yusuke looked at him and glanced at Kurama one more time before shrugging.

"Thanks for the talk, Kurama," he told him. "And thank you for the assist, but this is something we have to resolve on our own."

Kurama just nodded with a smile as Yusuke headed for the door.

Once outside the smile slid from his face. Yusuke looked up at the moon as he walked away from the warmth of the Minamino home and out into the night.

'Look at me,' he mused to himself with a resigned look. 'What a sap."

Never when he was younger did he think that what people were feeling would matter. Now he has not one but two people at the forefront of his mind that he was genuinely afraid of what was to come.

' _Keiko needs to want to talk to me_ ,' he inferred to himself. ' _but ma_.'

As he walked his face grew darker as he thought back to the unfinished conversation at Kurama's.

' _If I push her about it, it'll unleash a storm, and that storm might just sweep both of us away._ '

* * *

The next night Yusuke was relieved to have finally reconciled with Keiko. One fist and one teary conversation later and they were on their way back.

Once he found himself at his door however, he was reminded of the ticking time bomb that was his mother.

"No matter how much they care," he told himself as he twisted the knob. ' _She is something that they can't help me with._ '

As Spirit Detective he regularly dealt with rogue demons, wanting him dead. Energy attacks, broken bones, and burns were a common occurrence among his team. Over time he learned to not be surprised at what he saw.

However when he walked into the apartment to the smell of smoke, his instincts went into high gear.

"Mom!" Yusuke yelled as he ran further into the apartment.

Smoke billowed into the front room from the kitchen and he went straight for it. Once he reached the kitchen the source of the smoke was apparent. Inside the stove their looked to be a small fire surrounding the remains of whatever had been put inside. Using quick thinking, he pointed his finger at the stove and fired a small beam of spirit energy that broke through the glass door. Any smoke in the vicinity scattered and the force created from the blast snuffed out the flames.

"Where are you?" Yusuke screamed as he frantically searched the kitchen.

As he looked around, he heard what sounded like clattering glass from the hallway leading to his mothers' bedroom. He ran out of the kitchen and cursed when he laid on his mother's unmoving form.

"Damn it, mother answer me!" Yusuke yelled as he knelt down beside her.

He ignored the bottle that rolled from her hand as he turned her over. Eyes widened when he saw the trails of fluid that ran out of her mouth.

"You stupid moron!" he screamed at her as he shook her.

The anger that was rapidly building did not blind him to the fact that she wasn't waking up to him. He placed an ear near her mouth and through the rank stench of the alcohol in her body he could feel her breathing. Not knowing what else to do he lifted her up in his arms and carried her onto the landing outside the apartment. When he kicked the door open he noticed out of the corner of his eye the crotchety old man that lived next to them was eyeing them with suspicion through a crack in his door.

"Do your eyes work or not you old bastard!" Yusuke raged. "Call an ambulance she needs help!"

The man slammed his door, cutting Yusuke off. The anger in him building more he rose to knock the door down when he was interrupted.

"Detective," Hiei greeted as he phased in on the railing. "Kurama and I could feel your energy."

Yusuke looked slightly relieved to see him but turned his attention back to his mother.'

"That old human is calling for help." Hiei informed him, the Jagan eye glowing faintly under his headband. "Was it a demon?" He asked, looking at the condition of his home.

"No," Yusuke said quietly, worry for his mother turning into anger.

* * *

The ambulance made it in reasonable time.

Yusuke rode with his mother as Hiei went to inform Kurama of what had transpired.

When they arrived at the hospital, Atsuko was rushed into a room to be treated for smoke inhalation. Kurama arrived with Kuwabara and Keiko in tow.

"Yusuke!" Keiko called as she embraced him.

Yusuke let his anger ebb at seeing his friends. He returned Keiko's embrace and looked over at Kurama and Kuwabara.

Kuwabara looked at the room where they took her, eyes narrowed in concern as Kurama walked to Yusuke.

"Hiei, told me what happened," Kurama said, placing a hand on Yusuke's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Yusuke nodded in reply as he and Keiko finally separated.

"What happened?" she asked.

Yusuke just looked toward his mothers' room and narrowed his eyes.

"Fire," was all he replied.

"I hope she's gonna be okay," Kuwabara contributed. "Your mom is a tough lady. She has to be to have put up with you for 18 years."

Kuwabara's attempt at a joke was not met with a response. Keiko merely glared while Yusuke was still.

"She's gonna be alright," Yusuke said without a doubt in his voice. "She needs to be because when she wakes up, I'm gonna kill her."

* * *

Hours passed as the group stayed in the waiting area. Yusuke paced while the others sat. Botan, Shizuru, and Yukina came in a little later. Shizuru and Yukina inquired about Atsuko before sitting by Kuwabara. Botan assured Yusuke that Shizuru was not on her list so it would be okay.

"You're gonna need to add her on," Yusuke interrupted her. "Because when I'm through with her…"

"Don't worry Botan," Kurama eased, letting her sit beside him.

Eventually a doctor did make it to see Yusuke. Luckily the smoke did not make it into he lungs.

"However," The doctor continued. "We did need to pump her stomach. She was suffering from alcohol poisoning and that is likely why you could not get her to wake up."

"Yeah," Yusuke said, voice not giving anything away.

* * *

"Atsuko," Keiko greeted as Atsuko finally opened her eyes.

The group had migrated into Atsuko's room when she was deemed fit to receive visitors. After the doctor was finished with her, Atsuko was placed on an IV and left in a room to rest while her body recovered.

"Hey, Keiko," Atsuko said as she looked around at her sons' friends. "You all came to see little old me, I'm touched.

The group surrounding her bed all cracked a smile. Atsuko sat up in the bed and stretched her arms, causing her back to pop.

"What happened?" She asked them all innocently. "I think I was cooking and then-"

"You drank yourself into a blackout and almost burned down our house," came Yusuke's voice from the chair placed in the corner of the room.

The gravity of Yusuke's statement carried across the room.

"Urameshi," Kuwabara said as Yukina and Keiko both gasped.

"Well, shit," Shizuru said as she grabbed her brother by the collar and dragged him toward the door.

"What's the big idea sis!" Kuwabara screamed while trying to fight her.

"Quiet Kazuma," the elder sibling said as she looked behind them, "Yukina, Botan, let's go!"

Yukina, made uncomfortable by the hostility quickly followed as well as Botan, who despite loving gossip, really only loved it in regards to her friends' love lives.

Kurama walked by Yusuke who had stood and gave him a nod before leading Keiko out of the room. Now it was just Atsuko and her son, she steeled herself, knowing that this wasn't gonna be pretty.

"Alright, Yusuke," she said. "Say what you're gonna say."

The brusque manner in which she spoke to him just now was the last straw. The anger that had been building all night, compounded with the anger from before was ready to explode.

"Don't act like this is nothing you drunk!" he shouted. "Do you realize what you are doing to yourself?"

Atsuko just stared as if bored.

"Yusuke, it's not that big a deal," She dismissed. "I fell asleep while I had food in the oven, sue me."

"You passed out," Yusuke countered.

"I had it under-"

"You were passed out on the floor-"

"Just listen-"

"You could have choked on-"

"Yusuke-"

"I thought you were gonna-"

"Yusuke stop-"

"Damn it you stop!" Yusuke exploded, unconsciously releasing a tremor of spiritual energy.

He was ashamed to lose control like that but his mother was the type that responded to force. The pressure from his energy was enough to silence her for the moment. He breathed in once as his energy was reigned in. He could vaguely sense his friends nearby, probably worried for precisely that reason.

"You need to drop the liquor," Yusuke told his mother.

She got enough of herself back to roll her eyes.

"Don't start treating me like I'm an alcoholic," she responded.

"You are an alcoholic!" he shouted at her, not understanding why she wants to keep fighting.

Atsuko glared at her son at the accusation.

"I can stop anytime I want!" she voiced back. "I don't have a problem."

Yusuke was about to lose control again but managed to rein himself in. It was time to get aggressive.

"I would believe you more if I hadn't found you passed out with vomit down your face," he said.

"I ate something at work that didn't agree with me," she rebuffed, looking at the window and waving her hand in a dismissive motion.

Yusuke, in an effort to maintain his temper, pulled the chair to the foot of the bed and sat in it.

"I couldn't wake you up," Yusuke stated. "That's not food poisoning, that's alcohol poisoning."

"I was exhausted," Atsuko excused.

"From beating the shit out of some lowlife in the bar?" Yusuke asked skeptical. "You can handle guys twice your size and not break a sweat. Try again."

Atsuko's composure cracked at the rebuttal.

"Watch it, smartass," she warned. "You better-"

"I better what?" Yusuke interrupted, his composure being strained as well. "I better respect you? Sorry, I don't respect a deadbeat alcoholic."

The last statement ended up being a trigger as Atsuko's eyes widened first then narrowed in pure rage.

"You little bitch," she snarled. "I've put up with all the shit you've started the last 18 years! The fights! The expulsion! The demon fighting! I am not your father!"

Yusuke recoiled as if he were slapped.

"My father that I don't even know?" He shouted.

"You are better off!" Atsuko shouted back. "The second I told him I was pregnant he left. To this day I have no idea where he is!"

"I don't care about him!" Yusuke argued as he stood. "I have one alcoholic to take care of already, I don't need another deadbeat on top of it!"

Atsuko's fists clenched as she bit her lip to hold in the anger.

"This is rich coming from you," she bit out. Relaxing her fists. "Coming from the man who can't even keep a relationship with the one good thing that's happened to you all your life."

Anytime someone brought his relationship with Keiko into an argument already signed their surrender, however this time Yusuke just took a breath and stared evenly back at his mother.

"Did you see her here?" he asked her. "Keiko is not going anywhere, mom. She's it for me."

Atsuko just grit her teeth and glared at him harder. Yusuke observed this and continued.

"Is that your problem?" he asked. "Are you trying to destroy yourself because you're jealous of me?"

Atsuko's eyes went with with incredulity before she barked a laugh.

"Jealous?" she asked him, not believing her ears. "What is there to be jealous of Yusuke? You're ramshackle life. I give you Keiko, she is great. But you have a dead-end job. You never finished school, and when you were there you failed at everything. I had to threaten that principal in order to get you back in."

Yusuke just let the insults roll, nothing he hasn't heard before.

"Which of us is the deadbeat Yusuke?" Atsuko asked him.

Yusuke just walked around the edge of the bed until he was right next to her,

"It took me dying for you to open your eyes and even try to resemble a parent," he stated coldly. "Any other parent doesn't get a second chance, and look at you now. Right back to where you started."

Atsuko's eyes widened, not in anger, but in shock as Yusuke's cold eyes bored into hers. After a moment she hunched over, fists bunched into the blankets as her shoulders heaved with restrained emotion.

Yusuke said nothing as he watched his mother struggle to keep her emotions in check.

"Is this what you want?" she asked of her son, words shaky. "For me to break and admit that I'm a horrible parent with an addiction."

Yusuke just stared. This was getting them nowhere. At this point if they continued…

"Fine," Atsuko said. Looking up at her son.

Yusuke blinked as tears ran down her face. He could only be silent as he watched his mother come undone.

"Fine, I'm a walking disaster," Atsuko told him. "I look in the mirror and I hate what I see. You wanna know what the alcohol does? All I wanted for you is to have a better life then I had. I look at you and what do I have to show for that desire. You died at 14, but before that you were a thug. You never were going to amount to anything. You came back and still I failed. You were out fighting demons. I was waiting for the day when either Botan or Hiei, or one of them would come to me and tell me that you were gone for good."

Atsuko dissolved into sobs as she continued her rant. Yusuke's eyes softened only the slightest before he sat down beside his mother.

"I failed you," she continued. "I failed you, I failed myself. The cycle continues. Never ending, no matter how much I try. This isn't the life I wanted for you and when I think about where you were headed…. Well, all I can say is that being numb was better than losing you all over again."

Atsuko's sobs had subsided, but the tears had not. Yusuke had looked away to the door, taking in all she said. After a moment she looked up at him.

"Say something damn-"

"You're so stupid." Yusuke said softly, surprising Atsuko. "You really can't see anything can you?"

Atsuko glared through her tears as Yusuke continued.

"Mom, I love my life." Yusuke told her. "Four years ago you were right, I was worthless, I was nothing, my life was destined to go nowhere. But then I died."

Yusuke looked at her and she was mesmerized by the smile on his face.

"Mom, I fought those demons because at the time it was my job, but it became more than that. I wanted to protect the things I cared about. That means Keiko and you."

Yusuke grabbed his mothers' hand as he turned to look out the window.

"It's more than that now. Kuwabara, Kurama, Yukina, Botan, Even Hiei and Genkai. I have friends. I have people I care about. Who the hell knew?" he finished with a laugh,

Atsuko's tears slowly came to a stop as her son talked about his friends.

"I didn't care about anything before, but I learned that it isn't a bad thing to care, it makes me stronger. To be honest, if I didn't have them, I probably wouldn't be here right now."

Yusuke let go of her hand and scooted closer to her.

"You didn't fail," he told her, while putting an arm around her shoulder. "I'm not some suit or some fancy job. I'm me, and you have to live with the me you get."

Yusuke let his forehead touch his mothers' shoulder. Atsuko just stared as his words sank in. Before she knew it, the tears were rolling once more as she wrapped her arms around her son.

Yusuke just held her and listened to her words of apology. He would deny it if she later claimed that his face felt wet.

* * *

What seemed to be hours later to everyone involved. Yusuke finally slipped out of the room. Sure enough, the whole gang were just outside, much to his ire.

"I take it you bastards were listening?" Yusuke ground out.

Kurama just looked amused as Kuwabara came forward.

"Nah," the taller man replied. "Even if we wanted to Kurama and big sis were standing guard."

Keiko came in front of Kurama next.

"Is she okay?" Keiko asked, the meaning in her eyes clear.

Yusuke grinned at her and for the first time since he'd been back it came with no pressure.

"She will be."

With Yusuke's word the group relaxed, any tense atmosphere evaporated.

"Why don't we go get something to eat?" Yusuke suggested. "I don't know about you guys but all this drama has left me starving."

Accompanying the question was an earthshattering growl. Everyone looked confused save one. They all turned to Kuwabara, who was red in the face.

"What?" he asked the room at large. "Sounds great lets go," he finished hurriedly as he ran for the exit.

The girls all laughed as they followed, Kurama soon after. Yusuke took one final look at the door to his mother's room before smiling and following his friends out the door.

' _we'll be alright.'_

* * *

 ** _Well that was it. Hope it was decent. It did feel good to finish it. Like I said before I hope I did a good job. If you have any comments please let me know. I'm sorry if some of the characters seemed OOC but I really built on the face that these people have grown over the years._**

 ** _Anyway, favorites and reviews are welcome. Expect more from me soon._**

 ** _Until next time_**

 ** _~Shaded Truths~_**


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